A Lake Oswego High School coach says he has been fired from his position over allegations that he antagonized a transgender student-athlete who competed in Oregon’s track and field state championships and rallied coaches and families to protest her participation.
John Parks, who was cross country and track and field coach at Lake Oswego High, reached out to Oregon media outlets on Monday, stating that he had been dismissed after the school district conducted an investigation that was started by a formal complaint sent in by Portland Public Schools Athletic Director Marshall Haskins.
“The basic cause of my dismissal is fighting for females right to compete in sports fairly,” Parks wrote in an email. “I know you are fully aware of the debates on this issue and let me say I had 2 transgender athletes on my team this spring and I support them like all other athletes and only seek a solution that is a win for all as we don’t need any athletes subjected to what happened last month. Instead of a fair and measured investigation I was a victim of my passion for coaching, helping female athletes.”